Princequillo (IRE)
1940 – 1964
Prince Rose (GB) x Cosquilla (GB), by Papyrus (GB)
Family 1-b
1940 – 1964
Prince Rose (GB) x Cosquilla (GB), by Papyrus (GB)
Family 1-b
Princequillo entered stud in Virginia at a modest fee of US$250, reflecting a unfamiliar European pedigree and a race record that to most horsemen said “plodder.” But just as Princequillo defied the odds as a racehorse, rising from US$1,500 claimer to top Cup horse, he did so as a stallion. His second small crop contained multiple American champion Hill Prince and 1950 English champion 3-year-old male Prince Simon, and from there Princequillo was off and running on a stud career that would mark him as one of the most important stallions of the mid-20th century.
Race record
33 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 7 thirds, US$96,550
1943:
1944:
Honors
Fair Grounds Hall of Fame (inducted in 2005)
Assessments
Rated fourth among American 3-year-old males of 1943 by The Blood-Horse.
Weights assigned by John B. Campbell during Princequillo's 1944 season suggest that he was about 10-12 pounds below the best American males of that year over 9-12 furlongs.
As an individual
A well-balanced bay horse of the medium-distance type, Princequillo was rather plain and a little on the small side (about 15.3 hands) but was sound and durable with good substance for his size. He was a good mover and had a masculine presence but also had a calm disposition. He had an attractive head with a large, intelligent eye.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Princequillo sired 332 winners (68.7%) and 65 stakes winners (13.5%) from 483 named foals. He was noted as a source of stamina and soundness and also tended to pass on a sensible temperament, important factors in the successful nick of his daughters and granddaughters with Nasrullah and his sons. Princequillo is an Intermediate/Solid chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
Notable progeny
Cequillo (USA), Cherokee Rose (USA), Dedicate (USA), Earldom (CAN), Hill Prince (USA), How (USA), Key Bridge (USA), Misty Morn (USA), Monarchy (USA), Prince Blessed (USA), Prince John (USA), Prince Simon (USA), Princessnesian (USA), Quill (USA), Quillesian (USA), Quillo Queen (USA), Round Table (USA), Sequoia (USA), Somethingroyal (USA), Stepping Stone (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Au Point (USA), Bold Lad (USA), Caucasus (USA), Comtesse de Loir (FR), First Feather (USA), Fort Marcy (USA), Gelinotte (VEN), High Bid (USA), High Echelon (USA), Hurry to Market (USA), Inkerman (USA), Key to Content (USA), Key to the Mint (USA), Mill Reef (USA), Missile Belle (USA), One for All (USA), Pocahontas (USA), Progressing (USA), Quack (USA), Quiet Charm (USA), Revidere (USA), Ruffled Feathers (USA), Sale Day (USA), San San (USA), Secretariat (USA), Sham (USA), Sir Gaylord (USA), Squander (USA), Successor (USA), Syrian Sea (USA)
Connections
Princequillo was bred by Laudy L. Lawrence and was imported to the USA as a weanling, surviving an ocean voyage marked by storms and the threat of German U-boat attacks. When he started racing, he was initially listed as owned and trained by Anthony Pelleteri, though he may actually have been under lease from Lawrence. He was claimed for US$2,500 as a juvenile by trainer Horatio Luro on behalf of Boone Hall Stable (Prince Dmitri Djordjadze and his American-born wife, the former Audrey Emery). Luro trained Princequillo throughout the colt's 3-year-old season, while David Englander trained him as a 4-year-old. Princequillo entered stud at the Hancock family's Ellerslie Stud in Virginia in 1945 and moved to Claiborne Farm after the 1946 breeding season, following the sale of Ellerslie. Princequillo died of a heart attack in 1964 and was buried at Claiborne. He was buried intact at the main Claiborne horse cemetery, an honor shared with Nasrullah, Round Table, Secretariat, and Swale; all the other burials have followed the tradition of burying the head, the heart, and the hooves in order to conserve the available space.
Pedigree notes
Princequillo is inbred 5x5 to nine-time English leading sire St. Simon. His dam Cosquilla was a tough mare who was a good stakes winner in France but produced nothing else of any significance. She was produced from the White Eagle mare Quick Thought, in turn a daughter of the Minoru mare Mindful. While White Eagle and Minoru were both good racehorses (the latter won the 1909 Derby Stakes) neither had much success at stud and Cosquilla was the best horse produced by her dam line in several generations.
Books and media
Photo credit
Princequillo at Claiborne Farm, October 16, 1950. Photo by Joel Clyne Meadors. From the Keeneland Library Meadors Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library with any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: May 9, 2023
Race record
33 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 7 thirds, US$96,550
1943:
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Belmont)
- Won Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga; new track record 2:56-3/5)
- Won Saratoga Handicap (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Whitney Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Dwyer Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Empire City Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Empire City)
1944:
- Won Merchants' and Citizens' Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Questionnaire Handicap (USA, 13FD, Jamaica; equaled track record 2:43)
- 2nd Whitney Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
Honors
Fair Grounds Hall of Fame (inducted in 2005)
Assessments
Rated fourth among American 3-year-old males of 1943 by The Blood-Horse.
Weights assigned by John B. Campbell during Princequillo's 1944 season suggest that he was about 10-12 pounds below the best American males of that year over 9-12 furlongs.
As an individual
A well-balanced bay horse of the medium-distance type, Princequillo was rather plain and a little on the small side (about 15.3 hands) but was sound and durable with good substance for his size. He was a good mover and had a masculine presence but also had a calm disposition. He had an attractive head with a large, intelligent eye.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Princequillo sired 332 winners (68.7%) and 65 stakes winners (13.5%) from 483 named foals. He was noted as a source of stamina and soundness and also tended to pass on a sensible temperament, important factors in the successful nick of his daughters and granddaughters with Nasrullah and his sons. Princequillo is an Intermediate/Solid chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- Led the American general sire list in 1957 and 1958; 2nd in 1959; 4th in 1956 and 1961; 5th in 1955; 9th in 1950 and 1960.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1966-1970, 1972, 1973, and 1976; 3rd in 1964, 1971, and 1977; 5th in 1974 and 1975; 9th in 1965.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 1957 and 1958; 2nd in 1959; 4th in 1956 and 1961; 5th in 1955; 8th in 1950; 9th in 1960.
- 3rd on the American broodmare sire list in 1964; 9th in 1965.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the American general sire list in 1957 and 1958; 2nd in 1959; 4th in 1956 and 1961; 5th in 1955; 8th in 1950; 9th in 1960.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1966-1970, 1973, and 1976; 3rd in 1964, 1971, and 1977; 6th in 1974 and 1975; 8th in 1965.
- 3rd on the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1962.
- Led the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1971.
- 2nd on the French broodmare sire list in 1972; 8th in 1974; 9th in 1971.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American general sire list in 1957 and 1958.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1966-1973 and 1976.
- Led the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1971
- Led the Irish general sire list in 1962.
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
- Led the American general sire list in 1957 and 1958.
Notable progeny
Cequillo (USA), Cherokee Rose (USA), Dedicate (USA), Earldom (CAN), Hill Prince (USA), How (USA), Key Bridge (USA), Misty Morn (USA), Monarchy (USA), Prince Blessed (USA), Prince John (USA), Prince Simon (USA), Princessnesian (USA), Quill (USA), Quillesian (USA), Quillo Queen (USA), Round Table (USA), Sequoia (USA), Somethingroyal (USA), Stepping Stone (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Au Point (USA), Bold Lad (USA), Caucasus (USA), Comtesse de Loir (FR), First Feather (USA), Fort Marcy (USA), Gelinotte (VEN), High Bid (USA), High Echelon (USA), Hurry to Market (USA), Inkerman (USA), Key to Content (USA), Key to the Mint (USA), Mill Reef (USA), Missile Belle (USA), One for All (USA), Pocahontas (USA), Progressing (USA), Quack (USA), Quiet Charm (USA), Revidere (USA), Ruffled Feathers (USA), Sale Day (USA), San San (USA), Secretariat (USA), Sham (USA), Sir Gaylord (USA), Squander (USA), Successor (USA), Syrian Sea (USA)
Connections
Princequillo was bred by Laudy L. Lawrence and was imported to the USA as a weanling, surviving an ocean voyage marked by storms and the threat of German U-boat attacks. When he started racing, he was initially listed as owned and trained by Anthony Pelleteri, though he may actually have been under lease from Lawrence. He was claimed for US$2,500 as a juvenile by trainer Horatio Luro on behalf of Boone Hall Stable (Prince Dmitri Djordjadze and his American-born wife, the former Audrey Emery). Luro trained Princequillo throughout the colt's 3-year-old season, while David Englander trained him as a 4-year-old. Princequillo entered stud at the Hancock family's Ellerslie Stud in Virginia in 1945 and moved to Claiborne Farm after the 1946 breeding season, following the sale of Ellerslie. Princequillo died of a heart attack in 1964 and was buried at Claiborne. He was buried intact at the main Claiborne horse cemetery, an honor shared with Nasrullah, Round Table, Secretariat, and Swale; all the other burials have followed the tradition of burying the head, the heart, and the hooves in order to conserve the available space.
Pedigree notes
Princequillo is inbred 5x5 to nine-time English leading sire St. Simon. His dam Cosquilla was a tough mare who was a good stakes winner in France but produced nothing else of any significance. She was produced from the White Eagle mare Quick Thought, in turn a daughter of the Minoru mare Mindful. While White Eagle and Minoru were both good racehorses (the latter won the 1909 Derby Stakes) neither had much success at stud and Cosquilla was the best horse produced by her dam line in several generations.
Books and media
- Princequillo is profiled in Chapter 73 of Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and reprinted by Eclipse Press in 2006).
- Princequillo is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
- Princequillo is one of 50 Thoroughbreds profiled in Royal Blood: Fifty Years of Classic Thoroughbreds. Written by racing historian Jim Bolus with illustrations and commentary by noted equine artist Richard Stone Reeves, the book was released by The Blood-Horse, Inc., in 1994.
- Princequillo's first start was in a US$1,500 maiden claiming race at Empire City, in which he ran second.
- Part of the reason that Horatio Luro claimed Princequillo as a juvenile was to revenge himself for a snub by Lawrence, who he believed to be the colt's owner. Anthony Pelleteri, who had been racing the colt as either lessee or owner (the true picture is muddled), took his turn at revenge when Luro wanted to ship Princequillo to the Fair Grounds (which Pelleteri owned) in January 1943. When Pelleteri found out Luro was bringing Princequillo, he denied Luro's stall application, forcing Luro to house Princequillo in a nearby dairy barn. According to Luro, Princequillo slipped and fell on the concrete floor of the barn, suffering a tendon injury that gave him problems for the rest of his racing career.
- Princequillo became the first horse to be represented by the champion 3-year-old males in the United States and England in the same year in 1950, thanks to Hill Prince and Prince Simon.
Photo credit
Princequillo at Claiborne Farm, October 16, 1950. Photo by Joel Clyne Meadors. From the Keeneland Library Meadors Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library with any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: May 9, 2023